Friday, April 24, is the deadline for the 2015 Jamaica Creative Writing Competition & Exhibition. This event that is organized by the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC), an agency of the Ministry of Youth & Culture is encouraging all professional and amateur writers to submit their entries for this competition.

JCDC Director of Marketing and Public Relations, Stephen Davidson is reminding writers to incorporate the two special themes that were added to the competition this year in their entries which include “Road Safety Responsibility” with an emphasis on pedestrian safety and “Trafficking in Persons”. Writers can also use other content to reflect on Jamaican situations and experiences.
The Jamaica Creative Writing Competition continues to encourage writers to sharpen their skills in Standard English or Jamaican Dialect through Poems, Essays, Short Stories, Plays and Novels.  Entries are accepted in three classes: Junior (U-12), Intermediate (U-17) and Adult (18 and older). The winners are awarded cash, certificates of merit, medals, trophies and other prizes as an incentive for showcasing their talents. The award-winning pieces are also taken on an islandwide exhibition tour, so that others can enjoy the outstanding works.
Entry forms are available on the JCDC website: www.jcdc.gov.jm, at its Head Office located at 3-5 Phoenix Avenue, Kingston 10 and all JCDC parish offices island-wide. Entries must be sent via email to [email protected] then three hardcopies along with the completed entry form are to be submitted to any JCDC Office.

Some of the past awardees from the competition include Professor Mervyn Morris, Trevor Rhone, Dionne Jackson-Miller, Basil Dawkins, Mervyn Nadine Tomlinson, Rhonda Harrison, A-Dziko Simba, Charmaine Morris, Carroll Edwards, Michael Reckord and Claudette Beckford-Brady.